TL;DR
Get health and wellness essentials delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Friends of BrainHealth awarded more than $466,000 in 2026 research funding for projects spanning early brain changes, dementia risk and resilience, caregiver well-being and metabolic health. The grants are intended to help Center for BrainHealth researchers build evidence for potential larger-scale funding from Texas’s Dementia Prevention and Research Institute.
Friends of BrainHealth awarded more than $466,000 for its 2026 research program, backing projects on dementia risk, early brain changes, cognitive resilience and caregiver well-being. The awards are intended to help researchers at the Center for BrainHealth develop early-stage work that could support applications for larger grants from the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.
Six projects were recognized at the Ramona Jones Friends of BrainHealth Scientist Selection Luncheon on September 28 at Dallas Country Club. Three finalists also competed for an additional Emerging Scientist award through a live audience vote; Christine Dugas, PhD, received that award for a study of the eye-brain connection and dementia risk.
This year’s program included a new Visionary Scientist category for established principal investigators, alongside Emerging Scientist awards. The funded research ranges from examining biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease to testing a mindfulness-based approach for dementia caregivers. The projects are research proposals, not reported findings or established prevention methods.
Among the Visionary Scientist recipients, Zhengsi Chang, PhD, and Ziwei Zhang, PhD, will study biomarker patterns associated with cognitive resilience across different courses of Alzheimer’s disease. Francesca Filbey, PhD, will lead a longitudinal neuroimaging study examining brain resilience and metabolic health in the context of GLP-1-based therapy. Dan Krawczyk, PhD, will investigate a light-guided training intervention designed to support brain health and reduce dementia risk.
Seed Grants and Larger Texas Funding
The awards matter because they provide early-stage funding for researchers to test ideas and develop evidence before seeking much larger support. The report describes the awards as a potential pathway toward competing for grants from DPRIT, which it says could enable broader translational research over the coming decade. That is an intended opportunity, not a guarantee that any project will secure state funding or produce a treatment.
The supported topics also reflect how dementia prevention research reaches beyond diagnosis alone. Projects address early indicators, resilience, metabolic health and the experiences of caregivers. If the studies establish reliable measures or promising approaches, that evidence could inform later research; the current awards do not show that the projects have already changed clinical practice.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
A Nearly 20-Year Funding Record
Friends of BrainHealth is a donor circle that has supported research at the Center for BrainHealth for nearly two decades. According to the News-Medical report, it has raised $6 million and awarded 69 seedling grants since it began. The group’s approach is to provide initial support for research ideas that might otherwise need further evidence before attracting larger grants.
The 2026 program expanded its award structure to include Visionary Scientists as well as Emerging Scientists. The selection event combined donor support with a public vote among three finalists for one award. Those details describe the funding and selection process; the source report does not provide study results or say that any project has entered clinical testing.
“This year, our community of supporters invested more than $466,000 in innovative research focused on brain health and dementia prevention.”
— Andy Walsh, 2026 Friends of BrainHealth campaign co-chair
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Research Outcomes Still Ahead
The announcement describes the projects’ aims but does not report study results, timelines, participant numbers or when findings may be available. It is also not clear which projects will seek DPRIT grants, whether they will qualify, or how much state funding any application could receive.
Several studies will examine links or test proposed approaches, including retinal measures of dementia risk and GLP-1-based therapy in relation to brain resilience. The announcement does not establish that these methods prevent dementia or improve outcomes. Further research will be needed to determine what the findings mean and whether any approach can be applied beyond the studies.
mindfulness meditation for caregivers
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Studies Build Toward Further Funding
The recipient teams are expected to carry out the research described in their proposals, including examining the BrainHealth Index’s reliability, developing dementia risk and resilience profiles, and studying caregiver well-being. The source report does not give project start dates, research milestones or a schedule for public results.
Researchers may use evidence developed through these seed grants when pursuing larger DPRIT awards, but no later funding decisions are reported. The next clear updates will be study progress, published findings and any applications or awards for broader research.
biomarker testing kits for Alzheimer's
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
How much did Friends of BrainHealth award in 2026?
The group said it invested more than $466,000 in its 2026 research awards. The report does not give individual award amounts.
What areas will the funded research examine?
The projects cover early brain changes, dementia risk and resilience, Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, metabolic health, caregiver well-being and a proposed light-guided training intervention.
How many projects received awards?
Six projects were recognized at the September 28 luncheon. A seventh Emerging Scientist award was decided by an audience vote among three finalists, bringing the reported total to seven funded projects.
Does the announcement show that the projects prevent dementia?
No. It describes research aims, not completed results. The announcement does not establish that any funded intervention or measure prevents dementia or is ready for clinical use.
Will the recipients receive larger state grants?
The seed awards are intended to help researchers build evidence for potential applications to Texas’s Dementia Prevention and Research Institute. The report does not say that any state grant has been awarded or guarantee future funding.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
